Debra Crew

Debra Crew was appointed as CEO of Diageo in June 2023 after stints as COO and president of Diageo North America and global supply. Unlike with many other execs, Crew’s first foray into the world of work wasn’t through an internship at a big corporation: She spent four years in the U.S. Army and gained the rank of Captain before joining the corporate world in 1997. Since then, Cew has honed her craft across some of the world’s biggest consumer brands, including Nestlé, Mars, and PepsiCo. Now, at the helm of Diageo, the 30,000-strong drinks company that makes Guinness and Johnnie Walker, Crew is one of just nine women at the top of FTSE 100 companies. The veteran has recently had to navigate softening alcohol spending, as Diageo expands its nonalcoholic offerings to entice “sober-curious” Gen Z. She also has grappled with a problem at the opposite end of the imbibing spectrum: a Guinness shortage driven by unprecedented demand.